Owen could make Royals appointment

Wednesday 24 January 2007 00:04 BST

Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen could return to action against Reading next Monday night.

The 27-year-old missed his club's 0-0 Barclays Premiership draw with Chelsea on Sunday, with manager Glenn Roeder revealing he knew he would not figure several days beforehand, but Roeder is convinced he will play a competitive game sooner rather than later.

He said: "If Michael is involved in an 11 v 11 this week, it will be on the training ground against ourselves. In my opinion now, Michael does not need to be playing against any opposition in a friendly. The next time we will see Michael Owen, it will be in a competitive game."

After 10 months on the sidelines recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament rupture he suffered at last summer's World Cup finals, Owen is desperate to return and stake his claim for a place in the England squad for the friendly against Brazil and the European Championship qualifier in Estonia in June.

That is the subject of a battle between his club and the Football Association amid a row over World Cup compensation, although chairman Freddy Shepherd is adamant he has no problem with his record £17million signing playing for England.

Roeder is concentrating solely on the task of getting the club's prize asset back on the field, and that is a process he refuses to rush as Owen attempts to shake off a minor groin strain.

"It is not a problem at all. He is just not fully-fit. It is hardly worth a mention," Roeder said. "But he has been out for so long, it is important that when he returns, we know he is 100% fully fit.

"We have just got to wait until he is fully fit, and you know how much I am prepared to be patient with all players.

"I have shown that always and I will never change from being a patient person because I know patience pays off in the long run.

"He has got a full week now, eight days, to the Reading game, and we will certainly know by the middle to the end of the week whether he is going to make that."